Type-writing machine.



E. E. STRQNG TYPE Wm TING MACHINE;

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 7, 1913.

Patented Jan. 19, 1915.

UNITED STATES PATENT @FFiFCE.

ELISHA EMMANUEL STRONG, OF PARIS, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR TO UNDERW'OOD TYPE- WRITER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters letcnt.

Patented Jan. 1 9, 19.1.3.

Original application filed May 21, 1912, Serial No. 698,682. Divided and this application filed November 7,

1913. Scria1No.799,665.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIsnA EMMANUEL S'ruoxc, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Paris, Republic of France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Type-\Vriting Machines. of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to so-called split platens for typewriting machines, that is, platens which are composed of two sections placed end to end.

This is a division of my application filed May .21, 1912, No. 698,682, Patent No. 1,099,131, June 2, 1914.

According to the present improvements, the typewriting mac line is provided with two platen sections, each of which has a lino-spacing mechanism independent of the other, and means whereby one of the sections may be coupled to the other section to constitute one long platen, controllable by one of the lino-spacing mechanisms; the other line-spacing mechanism being temporarily silenced.

That line-spacing mechanism which is capable of turning the platen sections when coupled together is preferably placed at the left-hand end of the typewriter carriage, and may operate in the usual manner; while the other line-spacin mechanism, which is silenced when the piiiten sections are cupled together, may be placed at the rightiiand end of the platen or carriage frame, and is preferably connected to the mechanism for throwing oil the paper-feeding rolls of the typewriter, so that this righthand platen section, when used separately, is fed only when the feed-rolls are cast oil: 40 or in other words, this right-hand section is rotated one line space every time a new work-sheet or bill is inscrtc around the left-hand or main platen; whereby a tally strip may be written on the right-hand section. while the left-hand section is used for the main hill or work-sheet.

The connection between the right-hand linc-spacing mechanism and the feed-roll releasing mechanism is preferably such that the lever which operates both mechanisms is capable of bein operated sufficiently to feed the platen. wit out releasing the feed-rolls; whereby a variety of work may be written upon the machine.

The right-hand line-feeding mechanism may comprise a spring dctent, which may be released to permit the right-hand platen section to be shifted to the left to couple it to the left-hand section; and said detent may be then relied upon to hold the two sections against accidental separation. When the right-hand section is uncoupled, the same dctent device may be relied upon to hold said section against being rccouplcd to the left-hand section.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional top plan view showing the platen sections uncoupled, to be operated as two individual platens. Fig. 2 is a sectional top plan view showing the platen sections coupled together, to be operated as a single platen. Fig. 3 shows the feeding mechanism of the shiftahle platen section, when detached from the platen section lived to the platen axle. Fig. 4 is similar to Fig. 3 with the exception of showing the feedrolls cast oil". Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of the feed-roll release mechanism.

The platen axle 1 is journaled in the ends 2 of the platen frame 3, and is provided with finger wheels 4. A line-space pawl 53 is operated by a. lever 6 to engage a ratchet or line-space wheel 7, fixed on the platen axle. A detent 8 carried on an arm 9 is forced between the teeth of the line-space wheel 7 by a spring 10. There are two platen sections 11 and 12, which are normally coupled together to be used as a single platen, by means of a. pin or coupling 13 on one section. projecting into a socket 1 1 in the other section. The section 11 is fixed or held to said platen axle by a set screw 1.5. Feedrolls 16 are mounted'on shafts 17 and carried on rock arms 1 to run on the under side. of the platen. The feed-rolls may be cast off from the platen. by depressing the release-lever 19. which draws up the con necting link 20 and rocks the cam shaft 21, which earns the free ends 22 of the rock arms 18 outwardly. in the well known manner.

When it is desired to use the platen scctions for separate work-sheets, the sections are uncoupled by shifting the section 12 endwise away from the, section 11, so that the. coupling pin 18 will be clear of the socket 14, in which position each platen section can be rotated independently of the other. During the time the platen section 12 is uncoupled from the platen sectionll, section 12 1S locked against endwise displacement by a finger or projection 23 on a rock arm 21, which enters an annular recess or groove 25 on said laten section, a disk 27 forming one wall oi the groove. Spring 29 tends to keep the finger 1n the recess. The arm 24 may be rocked to insert or withdraw the finger 23 from the recess 25, by means of a finger-piece 28. While the platen section 12 is uncoupled, a dtent roll 30 on the rock arm 24, cooperates with teeth of a ratchet wheel 26 to hold the platen section 12 from rotating with the platen axle, and also to hold the platen section 12 at line-space intervals when said section 12 is rotated by its line-spacing mechanism. The line-spaeim of the detached platen section 12 is eil'ccted by a tooth 31 provided on the link 20 which extends between the feed-roll release-lever 19 and the cam shaft 21. The shaft 21 can rotate through a certan distance without eflecting any movement of the feed rollers 16. When the release-lever 19 is de ressed, it lifts the link 20,the tooth 31 0. which causes the ratchet wheel 26 to advance by one tooth, and then it is disengaged from the ratchet wheel. In this movement the link 20 turns the shaft 21, but not sufficiently to lift the feed rollers from the platen. If at this period the movement of the release-lever 19 is stopped and it is permitted to return to its initial osition, the rollers 16 will not be moved, ut the link 20 returns rearwardly, the teeth 81 sliding on the teeth of the ratchet wheel 26 by reason of the free movement allowed b the slot 34, and arrives in' engagement wit another tooth on the ratchet wheel 20. Each time the release-lever 19 is only slightly depressed, the ratchet wheel 26 will be turned y one tooth space. If new the releaselever is pressed right down through its full stroke, it turns the shaft 21 through an angle sufiicient to insure the movement of the. feed rollers 16 away from the platen sections 11' and 12. It will therefore be seen that the release-lever 19 serves two purposes; in the first part of its travel it serves to rotate the platen section 12, and during the latter part of its course it effects the separation of the feed rollers 16 from the platen. The laten section 12 may be rotated while t e feed-rolls hold the worksheet against said platen section to insure the pro er advancement. Upon raising the releaseever, the lost-motion is taken up and the tooth 31 returned by means of a spring 32 to a position beneath the succeeding tooth of the ratchet wheel. Play is ermitted at the connection of the releaseever and the link 20 by the slot 34, so that the tooth may be easily brought down to its normal position beneath a tooth of the ratchet wheel. When the platen section 12 is to be coupled up to the section 11, it is first released from the detent roll 30 and the locking finger 23, by rocking the arm 2-1 and then it, is shifted endwise away from the feed pawl 31 and coupled to the section 11. Then the arm 24 is again rocked by spring 29, the detent roll 30 now running idly upon the hub 35 of the platen, while said arm also acts as a stop to prevent accidental uncoupling of the platen sections.

Having thus described my inventi n, l I

claim:

1. In a typewritmg machine, the combination with a frame, of a platen axle journaled therein, a platen comprisin alined sections one of which is fixed to the axle and the other rotatable independently of the axle. line-space mechanism at one end of the platen for rotating the said axle. and separate line-space mechanism at the opposite end of the platen for rotating the looselymounted section, said last-named mechanism comprising a ratchet wheel and detcnt to hold the ratchet wheel against rotation while the platen sections are separated, and also forming an abutment to prevent endwise movement of the ratchet wheel and thereby hold the sections separated.

2. In a typewritin machine, the combination with a frame, 0 a platen axle journaled therein, a platen section fixed to the axle. a second section loose on the axle and slidable longitudinally thereon into and out of abutting position to form a continuation of the first-named section, means to rotate the platen axle line-space mechanism to rotati-v said second section, and means carried by said line-space mechanism to hold the sc tions separated.

3. In a typewriting machine. the combination with a frame, of a platen axle journaledtherein. a platen section fixed to the axle, a second section loose on the axle and slidable longitudinally thereon into and out of abutting position to form a continuation of the first-named section. means to rotate the platen axle. line-space mechanism to rotate said second section. and means on said line-space mechanism for holding the platen sections separated and also for holding said sections together, said second platen section out of operative relation to said line-space mechanism while the platen secti ns are connected together.

nation of a platen frame and a platen axle 4. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a frame and a platen axle journalcd therein, of a platen section fixed to said axle, a second section loose on the axle and movable longitudinally thereon, a linespace wheel on said second section, a pawl in position to operate the line-space Wheel i 1 when said sections are separatec, ano a holding detcnt movable into position to prevent separation of said sections when they have been moved toward each other and operative to hold the said line-space wheel at line-space intervals when rotated by said pawl.

In a: type-Writing machine, the comhi journaled therein, a platen section fixed on saidplaten axle, a second platen section mounted loose upon said platen axle and slidable longitudinally thereon to form a unit with the first named section, pressure feed rolls along said platen sections and a release mechanism therefor, means to rotote the platen axle, and means carried by the feed-roll release mechanism to rotate said second section Without releasing the feed-rolls.

6-. A typewriting machine carriage comprising a rotary spindle, a platen keyed thereon, means to rotate said spindle, means for holding it at rest, a second platen of the -same ciametcr as the first mounted loosely on the rotary spindle and capable of slidmg axially thereon into and out of interlocking connection with the first platen for "rotation therewith, the second platen separable from the first platen to permit the first platen .to rotate relatively to the second platen, means for rotating the second platen while the first platen is held at rest, means for holding thehsecond platen at rest, and

J means for holding the second platen connected with the first platen to rotate there with.

7. In a typewriting machine, the combi nation of a platen frame and a platen axle journaled therein, a platen section fixed on said platen axle, a second platen section mounted loosely upon said platen axle and slidable longitudinally thereon into and out of locking connection with the first-named section to rotate as a unit therewith, presasst opposing ends of their peripheral faces meet to form a practically continnousplaten snrface for the reception of work-pieces, said platen sections relatively rotatable when separated, means to interloca the see tions when brought together to them to rotate as a unit, line-spacing i'nechanisni for rotating. one section and operable to ro-' tate both sections when said sections are connected, and a second li e-spaeing mechanism operable to rotate second section when said sections lis the connected and comprising means to hold said disconnected.

9. In a typewriting machine, the combination with platen frame and a platen thereon. comprising platen sec- Kl capable of such that the faces" mounts: tions in axial aline sent separation and of in: opposing ends of their peri to form a practically conti, face for the recs platen sections 1' separated, of mealrlockthe when brought togethe to cause that o rotats as unit, line'spacing; meehan rotating one section and operable to tats both sections when said sections are connected, a second line-spacing mechanism. operable to rotate the second section when said sections are disconnected, sail second section being out of operative relationto said second line-spacing mechanism when the platen sections are connected, means to hold the platen sections either connected or disconnected c 10, In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen traine and aplaten mounted thereon, said platen comprising a rotatable platen section,alinespaoingmechani'sin to rotate said section, a second platen section in axial alinement with toe first sec tion and movable longitudinally into and out of position to provide with the first tion a practically continuous surface for the reception vol Work-pieces, means to lock the sections for rotation as a. unit when the second section is brought to said position and releasable to permit relative rotation of the sectionswhen they are separated, linespacing mechanism to rotate said second section when the sections arewparated, said second section moved ont'of operative relation to its line-spacin mechanism when the v sections are connects and means for locking the second section against longitudinal movement While in both of its positions of longitudinal adjustment.

Witnesses:

Lotus Famine, HANSON C. Cons.

serene EMMANUEL s'rnoso. 

